Gridiron.



Patented Jan. 23, I900. A. B. PATTEN.

GRIDIRON (Application filed Apr. 15, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

U'NiiTlElD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AR'ITIIUR B. PATTEN, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSET"S.

GRIDIRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,995, dated January23, 1900.

Application filed April 15, 1899.

To all 71171107711 it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR B. PATTEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex'and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGridirons, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

In the ordinary construction of a gridiron or broiler the same consistsof two grated portions usually composed of parallel rods or wires, thesaid portions being hinged together along one edge and having extendingtherefrom at the opposite edge a pair of handles, each handle beingrigidly affixed to one of the said grated portions. The gridiron isopened and closed by means of such handles. When the material to bebroiled has been placed in the gridironthat is, between the gratedportions thereof-it is held in such position by compression upon thehandles, and the gridiron is presented to the fire with the edge thereofwhich is opposite to the handles usually nearest the source of greatestheat. It necessarily results from this fact that the meat or other foodis heated or cooked more thoroughly in the portion thereof which isnearest the hinge of the gridiron or broiler than in the portion thereofwhich is nearest the handles of the same.

It is the chief object of my invention to provide a construction whichwill permit the contents of the gridiron to be equally heated or cookedin every portion thereof. In addition my invention comprises means foradjusting the gridiron to hold securely different thicknesses ofmaterial.

My invention will first be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate the most satisfactory form thereof which Ihave yet contrived, and afterward the essential characteristics of thein vention will be particularly pointed out and distinctly defined inthe claim at the close of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is an isometric view of my improved broiler,showing the same with the handles thereof in one position in full linesand in the reverse position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe broiler in a half-opened position. Fig. 3 is Serial No. 713,185. (Nomodel.)

a perspective view of a portion of the broiler, showing the means ofsecuring the same in its closed position.

1 2 designate the grated portions or sides of the gridiron or broiler,which are or may be of any approved construction. 3 designates the hingeby which they are joined at one edge. Instead of attaching the handlesrigidly to the side portions 1 and 2 or of otherwise causing the saidhandles to project always in one direction from the said side portions Ipivot the handles 13 14 at or near the middle of the said side portionsor otherwise render them movable relatively thereto, so that the saidhandles may be reversed or swung from the position in which they extendin one direction from the side portions to a position in which theyextend in the other or opposite direction from the side portions. Bythis construction if the material in the gridiron is being morethoroughly cooked at one edge than at the other the broiler may beremoved for an instant from the fire and the handles may be swung fromthe position they first occupy to the opposite position, and the processof broiling may then be continued with the other edge of the materialexposed in turn directly to the strongest fire. This operation dispenseswith the necessity for removing the material from the gridiron orattempting to turn it therein during the broiling operation. Theprocedure last referred to is open to serious objections, inasmuch as itfrequently cannot be. accomplished without great trouble or withoutbreaking or destroying the appearance of tender or soft material likefish or allowing the material to become cold, and thereby necessitatinga longer subsequent eX- posure to heat and producing an unsatisfactoryresult.

A convenient pivotal arrangement of the handles of the broiler is shownin the figures as formed by turns or eyes 1O in the middle of two of thecross-wires of each side portion, into which eyes are booked the bentends 12 12 of the handles 4 5. Other specific arrangements will,however, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The improved securing means for retaining the gridiron in a closedposition which I employis shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 of the To oneof the side portions of the drawings.

broiler, at the free edge thereofin other words, at the edge thatisopposite the hinge 3are attached; loops 6 7, which preferably are of afigure 8 shape, or, in other words, which present a plurality of eyes.In conjunction with the said loops is employed a pin 8,adapl ed to beinserted through the said loops when the latter are in the position inwhich they are shown in Fig. 2 and to engage the bars or Wires of theother grated side portion. Thus in Fig. 1 the gridiron is shown as eX-panded to its full capacity, the terminal eye of each loop being passedthrough the opposite side piece of the broiler and receiving the pin 8.When the thickness of the meat or the like interposed between the sidepieces of the broiler enables the latter to be brought closer together,the pin is passed through the second eye of each of the loops. More thantwoeyes may-be formed in each loop,if desired. The

pin 8 is provided with a bent extremity 81, whereby it is prevented fromslipping out of the eyes ofithe loops while the broiler is beingmanipulated.

' My improved utensil may be employed in all the ways in which gridironsof the common construction now in use'may be employed,

while it has the additional advantages above set forth.

What I claim is- A gridiron or broiler comprising grated portions forinclosing and supporting the material to be broiled, handles for each ofsaid side portions pivotally secured thereto, one edge of one of saidside portions being secured by a hinge connection to the correspondingedge of the'other side portion, and means for securing the said gridironin a closed position, said means comprising a plurality of loops, eachhaving a plurality of eyes and each attached to the free edge of one ofthe said side portions, and a pin to extend through one of the eyes ofeach loop and to engage the other of said grated side portions, wherebythe free edges of the said grated side portions may be secured atvaryingdistan-ces from each other, to accommodate various thicknesses ofmaterial to be broiled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR B. PATTEN. Witnesses:

WM. A. MACLEOD, GHAs. F. RANDALL.

